Hot or Not

Studies show that women who take the time to do their hair and apply cosmetics to themselves every morning earn a greater salary then those women who believe it’s a waste of time. According to internet forums, a majority of women agree that when wearing make-up, people take us more seriously and have a greater respect for our opinions. After taking a general consensus of males on the topic of Taylor Swift, I’ve concluded that the majority opinion is: “Her music sucks, but she’s mad hot”. Apparently, this direct relationship between appearance and salary holds true for celebs and singers alike. However, Ladies, before you get worked up about disrespect, objectifying, and the concept of inner beauty, let’s turn the tables.

In an exclusive behind the scenes interview featured on demand, Taylor Swift revealed her formula for hand picking the male leads specifically for her music videos. She explained that certain types of attractive men were necessary to play key roles in her performances. For “You Belong with Me” she expressed the need to choose not a ridiculously hot man, but a cute, handsome, almost pretty boy for the part. This contrasts her Love Story choice which was a drop dead gorgeous and insanely sexy man who could pull off renaissance attire. For “White Horses”, a song about a guy leading a double life with two different women, she needed a handsome man whose eyes twinkled with innocence so that his image was believable. Finally, for “Picture to Burn” she searched for the ultimate jock with a level of attractiveness so high that he can’t be anything else but a jerk.

So while guys might lash out at T-Swift for crafting her videos based on attractive personas of men and girls might slap those same guys who tote on Swift’s level of attractiveness, we’re both guilty of the same game.

Beyond the Country and the Blonde

I can’t help but cringe when I hear country outsiders make this hopelessly inaccurate assumption: “Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift? Oh, same thing.” Carrie Underwood, a country artist who owes her first public appearance to FOX’s hit television series American Idol, naturally appeals to an older audience with a more refined pallete for this shade of country music. T-Swift became the center of the nation’s focus around age 18 and her music reflects this perfectly. While Taylor and Carrie sing about similar emotions and incorporate the accompaniment of the ukulele in both an aggressive and an audibly pleasing manner, they each express distinct differences in style and lyrics.

“Songs Like This”, by far Carrie’s angriest song, showcases her aggression and the depth of her emotional frustration with guys who’ve “done her wrong”. Opening with “Wanna find some boy, rip his heart right out…first man I see, gonna take him down”, it’s quite obvious that this woman means business. However, Taylor’s anger proves far less violent and vengeful towards the male gender. In “Picture to Burn” she sings, “Cause I hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive, you’re a redneck heartbreak whose really bad at lying, so watch me strike a match on all my wasted time”. Sure, you might say they’re both enraged and determined to let everyone know they were wronged…but the extent to which they do so is a distinct difference. For example, let’s see what happens when a man cheats on one of these beautiful blondes. Carrie says, “I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four wheel drive, carved my name into his leather seats, took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slashed a whole in all four tires, and maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats”. Clearly, she wishes to seek material damage and immediate compensation for this lack of faithfulness. Taylor on the other hand, tones it down a bit: “You should have said no, you should have gone home, you should have thought twice before you let it all go”. See the difference?

I thoroughly enjoy a good Carrie song and appreciate her fearlessness in expressing the deepest and inner most desires we experience when dealing with the male gender. However, Taylor Swift appeals more to my age group…and since I’m still young and have plenty of time until I have to even consider engagement or long term commitment, I will stick with T-Swift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCMqcFAigRg--> Picture To Burn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaSy8yy-mr8 --> Before He Cheats

It’s Not All About Boys

Where would this star be without her troubled relationships and irresistible boy stories? Well, nowhere. With her claim to fame centered around” Love Story”, “Teardrops On My Guitar”, and “You Belong With Me”, the radio obsessed population seems drawn only to her heartthrobs and heartbreaks jazzed up with catchy lyrics and instrumental chords. However, those loyal fans anxious enough to search beyond the top hits and consider the true intentions of this pop sensation, would quickly point out her dedication and deep passion for friendships.

In her song “Fifteen”, featured in her Fearless album, T-Swift mentions the name of her high school best friend, Abigail. Focusing on the hazards which senior boys pose to innocent yet willing freshmen girls, Swift explores how Abigail and her made it through these typical yet life changing scenarios with tears and support. T-Swift composed this song mostly as a flashback to the mixed up age of fifteen, however, it ends up with an underlying tone of friendship and its necessity in high schools.

In her video “I’m Only Me When I’m With You”, Swift makes a clear nod to this claim. Though this song in a strictly lyrical sense pertains to a love affair, she chose to format the video as a dedication to her friends. With lyrics such as “And I don’t try to hide my tears, the secrets or my deepest fears, through it all nobody gets me like you do, and you know everything about me, you say that you can’t live without me”, it’s clear upon first listen that the song expresses serious romantic feelings. However, upon further analysis of this artist, a girl whose constantly going through these mixed up and messed up relationships, this video serves as an ode to friendship and its learned necessity. While us girls might get caught up in a relationship that we’re so convinced is flawless and will last forever, that’s almost never the case. Who do we run to after? Our friends. In this upbeat video, Taylor Swift reminds listeners that though boys may seem like everything, we have nothing without our friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlTfYj7q5gQ

Christmas with the Swifts

Covered with bright lights and festive decorations, your house has become a Christmas spectacle for passing vehicles and watchful neighbors. Cookies and sweets covered with red and green sprinkles seem to make their way into every meal. You find yourself consumed by the holiday shopping experience yet exhilarated by the winter air and the first signs of snow. Though you’re not a huge fan of Christmas music and the holiday classics played on repeat for over an entire month’s time, there is one artist that catches your attention: Taylor Swift. While others fill their holiday albums with merry, bright, and classic Christmas carols, T-Swift goes above and beyond. Folks, heartbreak does not stop just because Santa’s at the mall.

Her album, “Sounds of the Season”, released in 2007, features two songs with a unique T-Swift spin to the Christmas season. Opening “Christmases When You Were Mine” with cheery lyrics, she immediately grasps the listeners’ attention: “Please take down the mistletoe, ‘Cause I don’t wanna think about that right now.” Pulling a classic Taylor, she’s unafraid to spill the truth about something as universally pleasant as a holiday mood. Her heart, filled with the sadness of an ex-boyfriend whose M.I.A. , has no room for the warmth of the holiday spirit. For those of us who simply can’t bring ourselves to smile with friends and family around the holiday time for whatever reason, Swift’s music is more easily identified with. Surrounded by such things which should make us smiley and bright, it’s easy to feel depressed when they have no effect on us. Embracing that concept, T-Swift provides listeners with a holiday comfort and lyrical company.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbMYyU3lPi8

Taylor Swift and the Single Ladies

Though this conversation-dominating controversy was generated by a man’s inclination to pregame before the MTV music video awards, the discrepancy over whose video, Beyonce or Taylor Swift’s, should have won best of the year proved highly necessary for the advancement of music video production. For the question of what constitutes a music video, viewers must flashback to the original winner of the award, Michael Jackson, for his performance in “Thriller”. This famous video followed Michael on his date to the local cinema to watch a horror movie and proceeded to film the couple’s reaction to the film as they walked down the local streets. While Beyonce might have won hands down for sex appeal and quite possibly the greatest dance performance in the highest of heels and whomever she was singing about should very well have put a ring on it, Kanye West, with his stage storming syndrome, was incorrect in profiling Beyonce's performance as “the greatest video of all time”.











A classic school-spirited suburban town filled with white plastered houses provides the setting for “You Belong with Me”. The video features Taylor Swift as the love-struck, book-smart young woman who has fallen head over heels for her best guy friend, Lucas Till, whose currently dating the head cheerleader. This simplistic yet timeless portrayal of such a typical situation found massive support for “Best Video”. Its ability to entertain through a relatable depiction proved key to its success. Girls everywhere find themselves sitting on the edge of their chairs, eyes fixated on the youtube video screaming, “OMG OMG THAT’S SO ME!” then proceeding to stand up, flail their arms, grasp a fake microphone, and imitate nerdy Taylor as she prances around her room wishing she was in her true love’s arms. Such a basic story proves similar to the typical movie date in “Thriller”, winner of the first MTV award for “Best Video” in 1984. “Single Ladies”, though catchy and attention grasping, shows three women decked out in tight clothing and ridiculously high heels dancing aggressively to the lyrics but fails to tell an actual story as both “Thriller” and “You Belong with Me” do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY --> Single Ladies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNIsY6JdUw --> You Belong With Me

Taylor Swift and the Pop Culture Breakdown

With pop culture powerhouses packing the biggest names in the music industry to-date, it comes as quite a status-quo scandal that the innocent yet boldly sassy Taylor Allison Swift has made her way to the top. Absent from Hollywood’s bars, clubs, and notorious narcotic fame game, T-Swift muscled her way onto America’s stage one leather cowboy boot and broken-hearted-hit at a time. Sharing the lime light with current top artists like Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Owl City, Jay-Z, and the crowd pleasing Black Eyed Peas, she must constantly look around feeling stylistically out of place and technologically intimidated. However, though her strikingly different claim to pop fame may serve as a red flag to some, it’s become the greatest attraction for her demographic.

Sporting an image seemingly foreign to the music industry’s repertoire, Taylor Swift capitalizes on her small town typical American teen likeness, focusing on the flaws of male gender, the joys of flourishing relationships, and the epitome of a happy ending. The success of such a basic premise stems from its current unique status. With charts showing singles like “Down” and “Tik Tok”, it’s no wonder America has demanded the lyrical therapy of this country-pop genius. Sure, we might crave those carefree, fun loving, and autotune-processed beats of America’s anti-sweetheart, Ke$ha, and self-declared pop-princess Lady Gaga. We may even yearn for those technologically designed rhythms of the Black Eyed Peas or feel the need to shamelessly rock out to Jay Sean, cruising down high ways and fist pumping like it’s no one’s business. However, at the end of the day, it’s the honest words of Miss Swift that get us girls though those nasty break ups and shattered hearts.

http://www.taylorswift.com/